There are a number of antibacterial wipes on the market and most of them contain high levels of alcohol. Typically, the alcohol acts in two ways, first as an antimicrobial agent, either solely or in combination with other antimicrobial agents, and second as an agent to improve drying time after wiping. However, the use of alcohol has some drawbacks. Particularly, alcohol dries the skin by removing essential oils and alcohol can be lethal if ingested by infants and small children.
To eliminate problems with alcohol, several non-alcohol containing antibacterial wipes have been developed. However, there are many properties of these wipes upon which could be improved.
For example, one potential drawback of alcohol-free wipes is the loss of perceived wet feel of the wipe. Since alcohol reduces surface tension, wipes that contain alcohol will wet the surface of the skin well, thus, giving the user a good perception of wetness. This feeling of wetness has been identified by consumers as a desirable characteristic for wipes. In order to compensate for the lack of alcohol, alcohol-free wipes must contain some level of surfactant that lowers the surface tension of the aqueous solution, and thereby, improving the wetting of the skin. Although surfactants are effective at lowering surface tension, their use for this purpose has several potential drawbacks that can affect consumer perception. Examples of some of these problems are excessive foaming while wiping and a “tacky” after feel. Thus, the importance of selecting an appropriate surfactant for this use is paramount.
In addition, the choice of antimicrobial agent in an alcohol-free wipe is limited to agents which are soluble in water and are safe and effective. Particularly, when wipes are used on children, the choice of anitmicrobial agent must be one which is proven safe and effective for subjects of all ages. There are certain antimicrobial agents which can be used safely in wipe products, such as benzalkonium chloride. However, due to the nature of the wipe fabric, it is often difficult to maintain the concentration of said antimicrobial agents in a wipe at the levels published in the appropriate OTC monograph levels for an antiseptic product. See 21 CFR Parts 333 and 369; Vol. 59, No. 116, Jun. 17, 1994; “Tentative Final Monograph for Health-Care Antiseptic Drug Products; Proposed Rule”. The OTC monograph sets levels of 0.10% to 0.13%, (±10%) for benzalkonium chloride in an antiseptic product.
In addition to the aforementioned issues, currently marketed alcohol-free wipes are forced to use fabrics that contain high loads of binder, e.g. about 50% to about 70% binder with respect to the overall wipe weight. The binder is present to reduce adsorption of the antimicrobial agent to the fabric. Disadvantageously, fabrics possessing large quantities of binders tend to be rather stiff or “boardy”, and hence, are not preferred by consumers.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to develop an alcohol-free antibacterial wipe which meets the consumer's needs for a wipe that is flexible and has a wet feel. Particularly, it is desirable to produce an alcohol-free wipe that uses a safe and effective antimicrobial agent in a manner which preferably meets the proposed OTC monograph levels of an antimicrobial agent. The unmet need for an alcohol-free antibacterial wipe which is safe and effective for infants, children, and adults while maintaining good consumer aesthetics, is the subject of this invention.